New Delhi, Sep 1 (IANS) The Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will undertake a protest march through nine Assembly constituencies from Tuesday (September 1 to September 10).
Former minister and BJP leader B. Sriramulu said on Saturday, as he unveiled the logo for the padayatra at the party’s state office, Jagannath Bhavan, in Bengaluru.
The march, which will begin with a massive public meeting at Lingasugur, will culminate in Ballari on September 10.
Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and H.D. Kumaraswamy, Karnataka BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy and several other party leaders are expected to participate in the inaugural programme, Sriramulu said.
The BJP has been targeting the Congress-led Karnataka government over the alleged irregularities and the political fallout involving former minister B. Nagendra.
The padayatra will pass through nine Assembly constituencies: Lingasugur, Maski, Sindhanur, Karatagi, Gangavathi, Kampli, Sandur, Ballari Rural and Ballari City.
Sriramulu said the BJP had fought in the Assembly and outside it for the resignation of former minister B. Nagendra over the alleged Valmiki Corporation scam and thanked Vijayendra, opposition leaders and legislators for raising the issue.
He said Nagendra had resigned twice over the same issue, calling it unusual. He claimed that the then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had acknowledged that irregularities had taken place in the Valmiki Corporation.
Sriramulu alleged that Rs 87 crore had been transferred and claimed that funds from the corporation had been misused during the Lok Sabha elections to defeat the BJP in different districts.
He also targeted Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, saying he could have defended Nagendra but chose not to do so. He alleged that the Chief Minister had concluded that Nagendra should resign amid pressure from the Opposition.
Sriramulu further accused Nagendra of hypocrisy for calling BJP leaders “Manuvadis” while recalling that BJP leaders, including Janardhana Reddy, had supported him when he won the 2013 election.
He also referred to the death of tribal welfare corporation official Chandrashekhar, alleging that the official had died by suicide after facing threats and harassment in connection with the case. He accused Nagendra and the Congress of failing to stand by the deceased official’s family.
Sriramulu alleged that Nagendra had been made a minister after allegedly giving “suitcases” and claimed that the “validity” of the arrangement had now expired. He also questioned the removal of Dalit leader K.N. Rajanna from the Cabinet and asked why Nagendra was shedding “crocodile tears” over Dalits now.
He further criticised Shivakumar’s description of Nagendra as an “asset of the Congress”, alleging that Nagendra had effectively pledged public money to the Congress.